EUROBIKE Start-Up Award goes to five winners

Grand stage for young companies in the bike industry – Separate panel of judges and pitches before an audience for the first time

Start-ups breathe new life into the
bicycle industry. This is why the EUROBIKE Award introduced a separate category
for start-ups last year. This year the young companies with their innovative
products were offered an even larger stage as part of EUROBIKE from 8 to 10
July 2018. For the first time ever, a separately convened panel of judges was
devoted exclusively to the start-ups. The 20 finalists additionally had to the
opportunity to present their ideas to a broad public on the eve of the show. As
a result, five newcomer were able to enjoy a judges’ prize while one start-up
emerged as the public’s favourite.

Competing with product ideas for
the EUROBIKE Start-Up Award were 74 young companies. This high number alone
shows just how much dynamism and innovative force is contained within the
bicycle industry. A preselection phase narrowed these applicants down to those
who in the judges’ opinion were the 20 most promising innovations. Earlier
today the start-up companies each presented their ideas to the interested
audience in a three-minute pitch in Foyer East at Messe Friedrichshafen. The
event flanked by two specialist talks was not only open to trade visitors but
also to the general public. In conclusion, a vote was held to determine the
winner of the audience prize for the EUROBIKE Start-Up Award. At the same time,
the expert panel selected their own favourites.

“It was a very good decision to
give the start-ups their own forum as part of EUROBIKE this year,” said Dirk
Heidrich, EUROBIKE Project Manager at Messe Friedrichshafen. “Visitors to the
pitches find it fascinating to see the broad spectrum of innovations and ideas
emerging from young companies in the bicycle industry.”

The high-ranking panel of judges
brought together various areas of expertise from the bicycle industry and the
start-up business. Heading up the six-strong panel was Ulrike Saade, who has
been actively involved in the bicycle industry for many years as a retailer,
consultant and event organiser. Panel member Dirk Sandrock can also look back
on many years of experience in the bike industry. He also added inside
knowledge from a young company through Momes GmbH, which he co-founded. Consultant
Ursula Kloé contributed her expertise from the fields of innovation development
and user experience while her fellow judge Egbert Hünewaldt specialises in the
financing of sustainable companies. As executive director of the German
Cyclists’ Association (ADFC), Burkhard Stork is one of the most well-known
champions of promoting the bicycle in Germany. Completing the line-up of
Start-Up judges was the state-authorised bicycle expert Ernst Brust (CEO of
velotech.de) who added his technical knowledge.

The
judges’ prizes in the EUROBIKE Start-Up Award 2018 go to:

Muli
by muli-cycles

Statement by the EUROBIKE Start-Up
Award judges: „Everything about the muli is just right. Thanks to its short
wheelbase, low width and small frame, it is easy to control for both big and
small riders. We were particularly impressed by how easily the child’s seat can
be installed and dismantled as well as how the basket folds up. Especially
recommended for families. “

Split Belt Drive by Veer

Statement by the EUROBIKE Start-Up
Award judges: „This innovation of a split belt, which is also suitable for
retrofitting, represents true progress if the operating principle proves to be successful.
It eliminates the drawback of having to modify the frame in order to change the
belt, while retaining the already familiar advantages of the belt drive. “

Wink Bar by Velco

Statement by the EUROBIKE Start-Up
Award judges: „This navigation system integrated in the handlebars has numerous
useful solutions. We were particularly impressed by the use of light signals as
a simple means of providing guidance. GPS and GSM connections for the
accompanying app are already built into the handlebars. And for a navigation
system it represents very good value for money. “

PED by speaRoad

Statement by the EUROBIKE Start-Up
Award judges: „An innovation that increases visibility and safety when cycling
without the need for any additional batteries or recharging operations. For us,
the crucial feature in this illuminated pedal was the fact that energy for the
light is produced from actually pedalling. Especially recommended for
children. “

Trenux
by Trenux Trailers

Statement by the EUROBIKE Start-Up
Award judges: „In the case of Trenux, it is the idea of a car boot for bikes
that we find commendable. In our view, the concept of a bicycle trailer that
folds up and fits onto the carrier rack is ingenious. We see it generating a
large market if a good solution can be found for the challenges involved in
implementing the idea. “

The
EUROBIKE Audience Start-Up Award 2018 goes to:

TriEye
by CFongen

The idea of glasses with an
integrated rear-view mirror most impressed the audience. The glasses enable
riders to keep an eye on what’s happening behind them in traffic, without
having to turn round.

Biographies of this
year’s judges for the EUROBIKE Start-Up Award:

Ulrike Saade ’s everyday mission is to promote a new form of urban
mobility and a greater role for the bicycle in society. She has been involved
in the bicycle business since the 80s through a large variety of bike-related
projects. They include founding an innovative cycle shop and the Association of
Independent Cycle Dealers (VSF) as well as establishing networking
opportunities and think tanks such as the “BikeBrainpool”. Her company
Velokonzept initiates and organises large bicycle shows (e.g. VELOBerlin),
conventions (EUROBIKE Travel Talk) and also conducts public campaigns – as a
partner for the bicycle industry and retailers, politics and administration,
lobby organisations, tourism, trade fairs and cyclists themselves. She is a
member of the advisory board to the “bike academy” of the German Federal
Ministry of Transport and Berlin’s cycling advisory board (FahrRat), and, last
but not least, she is even a trained bicycle mechanic.

Ursula Kloé is an expert in the human-technology interface and
the related interaction processes. She can call on more than 25 years of
experience with target groups, customer segmentation, lifestyle typologies and
trends. In JU-KNOW she supports innovation development, always aiming for both
the best user solution and a high level of fit with the company's strategic
goals. Her passion for mobility is incorporated into the interdisciplinary team
of New Mobility Experts. Using a holistic approach and with a strong focus on
User Experience, this team guides new ideas for vehicle concepts, innovative
propulsion technologies and innovative services to success. Ursula
is also a lecturer at SRH University Heidelberg.

After many years of working for FAG
and as technical director for a bicycle manufacturer in Schweinfurt, Ernst
Brust decided to found velotech.de in 1991. With his company, the German
has created a service centre for product safety, development and the execution
of new testing methods for the safety inspection of muscle-powered equipment.
Since 1992, he has also been working as an official technical expert authorised
by the state to evaluate bicycle damage and certification – and is currently
the only such expert evaluating e-bikes
in Germany.

Egbert Hünewaldt runs the business development and sustainable
ventures consultancy Green Business Development in Berlin, which he founded in
2004. He specialised in designing projects at the interface between the digital
and green economies and in developing and implementing market entry strategies
for foreign companies. Egbert has not only gained experience in funding
sustainable companies but also has an excellent network within the green
economy, especially in the new mobility and sustainable finance sector as well
as in the start-up industry. He was co-founder and business angel of the ride-sharing
start-up CityPendler. Egbert's start-up initiative was honoured by the German
council for sustainable development. He graduated in media and communication at
LMU University Munich as well as in international journalism at the Institut
Français de Presse (IFP) at Univ. Paris II. Egbert participated in the ESSEC
& MANNHEIM executive MBA programme. During his time as managing director of
Germany’s most renowned eco-watchdog magazine Öko-Test, Egbert developed an
enthusiasm for an organic lifestyle and sustainable business.

For more than 25 years, Dirk
Sandrock has worked as a successful marketing and product manager in
developing and promoting products for apparel, hardware and software in the
fields of sport, biking and motorcycling for the Asian, European and North
American markets. He was a competitive biker, triathlete and later on also a
coach in these fields. As a founding partner of MOMES GmbH Deutschland, he is
responsible for product management in the development of solutions for
synchronising portable microelectronics in the growing digital world. In
addition to several patented solutions, he is now focusing on augmented reality
for bikers.

Burkhard
Stork is executive director
of the German Cyclists’ Association ADFC – with more than 165,000 members, the
world’s largest association for cycling advocacy. The ADFC promotes bicycle use
in all areas of society, such as individual transport, logistics and tourism.
He is one of the leading advocates for urban cycling – promoting a safe and
attractive bike infrastructure for all at both national and international
level. Stork is a Catholic theologian by training. Before taking up his
position with the ADFC, Stork managed a large German patient association.